The effective retirement of Valentino Rossi will definitely have led to this collateral consequence of seeing dusty and hidden files fall from the cupboard to open and display their hitherto secretly buried pieces in broad daylight. Jorge Lorenzo told his little stories that made it big, Casey Stoner spoke candidly about his experience and now it's Marco Melandri's turn to tell his story with Vale. And it’s not just made up of good memories…
It seems that being around a Valentino Rossi compatriot in the same environment of the competition did not have advantages as an Italian. On the contrary even… Max Biaggi has already said what he thought about it and now it's the turn of Marco Melandri to confess. The two practically grew up together and were close friends before becoming rivals. Over the years, the Ravenna pilot has not failed to highlight certain situations that annoyed him at the time. And he did it recently.
In a special broadcast of DAZN entitled “Ri-Vale”, Melandri explained what he didn't like about Red and the favorable media treatment he received: “ What I never really digested was being compared to him. In my opinion, it was a burden, I wasn't looking for that. Valentino always attacked psychologically. If he did it himself it was a skill, if others did it they became the bad guys. Whatever he did, there was always a reason for it. Those who challenged it and thought outside the box, on the other hand, were crucified and attacked ».
Marco Melandri: “ a charismatic driver like Rossi is born every 50 or 100 years«
However, the ex-pilot also spoke of the best times he spent with Valentino, whom he has known since childhood: “ the best memories I have with him are from when we were kids, back then there was only the passion for motorcycles and motorcycles were our life. There wasn't the nastiness that comes when you're playing for something as big as a MotoGP title, with so much money that you only think about yourself. When we were little, we rode minimotos even when it was raining and cold, until it was dark. We did a lot of days together, it was almost always him and I riding in extreme conditions and we had a lot of fun ».
Melandri finally believes that the Doctor is unique and inimitable in the history of MotoGP: “ a charismatic pilot like him is born every 50 or 100 years. Finding an heir is impossible. Perhaps we will find another one that will excite the crowds. But you can't copy a Valentino Rossi, he will stay unique and inimitable ».
